1

EVENTIDE
OMNIPRESSOR ®
For AAX®, Audio Units®, and VST® Plug-In Formats

USER
GUIDE
© Copyright 2011, Eventide, Inc. P/N 141215 Rev 1

Eventide and Omnipressor

are registered trademarks of Eventide, Inc.
AAX is a trademark Avid Technology and names and
logos are used with permission.
Audio Units is a trademark of Apple, Inc.
VST is a trademark of Steinberg Soft- und Hardware GmbH
All other trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

Eventide, Inc. • One Alsan Way • Little Ferry NJ 07643 • (201) 641-1200
www.eventide.com
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Contents

Introduction ............................................................................... 3
1! Installation ................................................................................. 4
2! Omnipressor ............................................................................. 7

Eventide, Inc. • One Alsan Way • Little Ferry NJ 07643 • (201) 641-1200
www.eventide.com
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Introduction
Thank you for your purchase of the Eventide Omnipressor plug-in. The
product recreated in this plug-in was among the first introduced by Eventide -
and among the world's first commercially available professional recording
products. For over 40 years, innovative products like these have made Eventide
an industry leader, and we are extremely proud that they continue to be in de-
mand today.

This package includes a stunning recreation of the Omnipressor dual knee dy-
namics processor.

We'll get into more depth on the product soon but, before you forget, please
take a few minutes to register online. This helps us keep you informed of any
important software updates, and any special offers that may only be available to
registered users.

About This Manual

We're confident you'll be able to use your new plug-ins without the manual - but
you might miss out on some very interesting things. So, please have a quick look
through it. You'll find all the information you need to let you fully explore the
capabilities of each plug-in.

Eventide, Inc. • One Alsan Way • Little Ferry NJ 07643 • (201) 641-1200
www.eventide.com
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1
Installation
1. Registering Your Plug-In
2. Downloading Your iLok License
3. Installing Your Plug-In
4. Installer Locations
5. After Installation is Complete

Registering Your Plug-In

The first step to using your Eventide Omnipressor plug-in is registering your
new product. In order to register your new plug-in product, you must have an
eventide.com account and an ilok.com account. If you do not have an
eventide.com account, you can create one at http://www.eventide.com. If you
do not have an ilok.com account, you can create one at http://www.ilok.com.
To download your Eventide Omnipressor license and use your plug-in, you
must also have a second generation iLok. If you do not have a second gen-
eration iLok, you may purchase one discounted iLok directly from Eventide
with the registration of applicable software, or for full price where-ever iLoks
are sold.

To register your Eventide Omnipressor plug-in, you must first log in to

http://www.eventide.com. Once logged in, please choose the menu option,
“Register Product,” or direct your browser to
https://www.eventide.com/User/RegisterProduct.aspx. Under Product, please
choose “Omnipressor Plug-in,” enter your Serial Number, and hit Continue.

On the following page, please enter your Purchase Date, Store Name, Store
City, License Key, and iLok.com Account Name. When you are sure that all
this information is accurate, please hit confirm. It may take a minute for
eventide.com to register your product. When your registration is complete,
you should see a page containing all your registered products, including your
Omnipressor plug-in.

Downloading Your iLok License

Now you are ready to download the Omnipressor license to you iLok. To do
so, please plug your second generation ilok into the usb port on your com-
puter and navigate your browser to http://www.ilok.com. Please log in to
ilok.com using the same ilok.com account name you used when registering
your Eventide plug-in. If you have not yet done so, you may have to down-
load and install PACEs iLok Client software before your iLok is recognized. If
this is the case, ilok.com will prompt you to do so. Once you are logged in,
and your iLok is recognized, you will be able to download your Omnipressor

Eventide, Inc. • One Alsan Way • Little Ferry NJ 07643 • (201) 641-1200
www.eventide.com
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license to you iLok by clicking on “Download Licenses,” this will move the
Omnipressor license onto your iLok.

Installing Your Plug-In

Now that you have the registration and license, you can download and install
the Omnipressor plug-in. The plug-in installer can be found on the Eventide
Omnipressor support page at
http://www.eventide.com/AudioDivision/Support/Plug-ins/Native Plug-in
Support.aspx. Please download the appropriate installer for your system and
follow the instructions to install the plug-in.

Installer Locations
On OSX, the AAX plug-ins are installed at:
Library/Application Support/Avid/Audio/Plug-ins
The AU plug-ins are installed at:
Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components
The presets are installed on the system drive at:
<user>/Documents/Eventide/Omnipressor/Presets
On Windows 32-bit, the AAX plug-ins are installed at:
Program Files/Common Files/Avid/Audio/Plug-ins
The VST plug-ins are installed at:
Program Files/Common Files/Steinberg/VST2
The presets are installed on the system drive at:
<user>/Documents/Eventide/Omnipressor/Presets
On Windows 64-bit, the AAX plug-ins are installed at:
Program Files(x86)/Common Files/Avid/Audio/Plug-ins
The VST plug-ins are installed at:
Program Files (x86)/Common Files/Steinberg/VST2
The presets are installed on the system drive at:
<user>/Documents/Eventide/Omnipressor/Presets

After Installation is Complete

Once you've completed the installation, the plug-ins should be available. If
the plug-ins do not show up in the plug-in list within your DAW, check to be
sure they are properly placed on the hard drive, and that your iLok is se-
cured in your computers USB port with the light on.

Qualified DAWs
Though Eventide’s intention is that our native plug-ins work in all AAX, AU,
and VST hosts, we have only tested and can guarantee operation in certain
hosts. Eventide’s AAX native plug-ins have been tested and work with Avid
Pro Tools 10 on both Mac and Windows. Eventide’s AU plug-ins work on
Mac only with Apple’s Logic 8, and Logic 9, as well as Ableton Live 7 and

Eventide, Inc. • One Alsan Way • Little Ferry NJ 07643 • (201) 641-1200
www.eventide.com
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Live 8. Eventide’s VST plug-ins work on Windows only with Steinberg’s

Cubase/Nuendo 6 and Ableton Live 7 and Live 8.

Navigating the Plug-Ins

The Omnipressor panel is designed with graphic knobs and buttons that
resemble the controls on the original unit - but we've enhanced it for intuitive
mouse control.

Knobs are easily adjusted with either an up-and-down or a left-and-right mo-

tion of the mouse. Click on any knob you want to adjust, then drag upward,
or to the right, to increase the setting, and downward, or to the left, to de-
crease it. (It is not necessary to try to move the mouse in a circular motion
to "turn" the knobs.) While a knob is selected, the value of the parameter will
appear in the center of the knob graphic.

Buttons are generally designed for single-click operation. Simply click on a

button to change from one state to another. The graphic display will indi-
cate whether or not a button is pressed.

Eventide, Inc. • One Alsan Way • Little Ferry NJ 07643 • (201) 641-1200
www.eventide.com
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2
Omnipressor

Production Dates
1971 - 1984

Originally described as a "professional-quality dynamic modifier", the Omnipressor

rapidly became a very popular studio dynamics piece. Its unique Function knob
allowed the engineer to move from Noise Gate effects through dynamic reversal
- an effect that reverses a sound's envelope making loud sounds quiet, and
quiet sounds louder. This control, combined with unique gain and attenuation
controls, lets you produce extremely aggressive dynamics with very little
tweaking. A cymbal, for example, can be made to sound "reversed" by setting a
fast Attack and setting Function near its CW limit. The diagram below illustrates
the wide ranging Function control.

Eventide, Inc. • One Alsan Way • Little Ferry NJ 07643 • (201) 641-1200
www.eventide.com
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Omnipressor Controls
Mono In Mono Out
Stereo In Stereo Out

INPUT CAL switches allow you to reduce the level feeding the effect by 10
dB, 20 dB, or 30 dB (when both switches are pressed).

INPUT THRESHOLD sets the gain crossover point. For example, when the
system is in Compression mode, an input signal below the threshold will
have its amplitude increased and signals above the threshold will have their
amplitude reduced.

BASS CUT/NOR determines the frequency response of the level detector

circuit. Set to NORMAL to match the frequency response to the gain con-
trol section. Set to BASS CUT to attenuate bass signals and reduce their
effect on the overall compression/expansion operations.

ATTACK TIME determines the time in which the system responds to a

change in input level. Assuming a 10 dB step increment in input level, the
attack time is numerically equal to the time required for the level detector to
reach its final state with respect to the new input level.

RELEASE TIME determines the time in which the system responds to a

decrease in input level. Assuming a 10 dB step increment in input level, the
attack time is numerically equal to the time required for the level detector to
reach its final state with respect to the new input level.

METER FUNCTION allows you to select meter monitoring of Input, relative

Gain or Output. These functions control only the meter display - they have
no effect on the signal processing. All level readings are in dBFS.

FUNCTION is the main Omnipressor control. When set fully counterclock-

wise, gain varies sharply from full attenuation to maximum gain as the Input
Threshold is exceeded. As the control is rotated clockwise, this action be-
comes less sharp until the gain varies only a few dB from no input to full in-
put. At the knob's centerpoint, the gain is constant, regardless of input level.
As the knob is turned clockwise, gain begins decreasing with increasing
input level. More rotation produces substantial compression until the point
of infinite compression is reached and the gain decreases 1 dB for each dB
of signal increase, thus keeping the output level constant regardless of in-
put. Rotation past this point produces dynamic reversal, in which a high level
input produces a lower output than does a low level input. Full clockwise
rotation results in full output attenuation above the Input Threshold.
Two LEDs alert you to the gain state of the Omnipressor. A green ATTEN
LED illuminates to indicate that the Omnipressor is in gain reduction mode.
A red GAIN LED illuminates in gain increase mode. Relative brightness of
the LEDs indicates the amount of gain reduction or increase. Operation of
these LEDs is instantaneous, so that peak limiting is indicated even when
the meter has insufficient time to respond.
Eventide, Inc. • One Alsan Way • Little Ferry NJ 07643 • (201) 641-1200
www.eventide.com
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OUTPUT/CAL These switches allow you to increase the output level of the
Omnipressor without affecting compression ratios or other operating parame-
ters. This is useful, for example, when the unit is being used in extreme
modes of compression or dynamic reversal, and the input signal is large
enough to cause large amounts of consistent gain reduction. In such cases,
you can select to increase the gain of the output stage by selecting +10dB,
+20 dB, or both for 30 dB of Gain.

ATTEN LIMIT limits the maximum attenuation of the Omnipressor from 30 dB

to approximately 1dB. This control overrides the action of FUNCTION.

GAIN LIMIT limits the maximum gain of the Omnipressor from 30 dB to

approximately 1 dB. This control overrides the action of FUNCTION.

SIDECHAIN INPUT (denoted by a key symbol in the plug-in header panel)

allows the Omnipressor's level detect to be driven by another audio source.

Saving and Recalling Plug-In settings

When Omnipressor is installed, a library of settings is placed into the <user>/
Documents/Eventide/Omnipressor/Presets folder. In this folder is a se-
ries of .tide files which will show up as options in Eventide’s plug-in preset
bar. From inside the Eventide Omnipressor you can load or save these
settings.

We recommend saving your own Clockworks Legacy settings to this folder

to ensure that they are available to any instance of the plug-in you're working
with. You can also create sub-folders inside the Omnipressor Plug-In
Folder if you wish.

Eventide, Inc. • One Alsan Way • Little Ferry NJ 07643 • (201) 641-1200
www.eventide.com